Lock tumbler



' Aug. 26 1924. 1,506,720

E. A. HILL LOCK TUMBLER Filed 001;. 10, 1922 Patented Aug. 26, 1.924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

ELERT A. HELL, Ol. L05 ANGELF-S, GALIFOENIA, RSSIG'NOR TO STOP-BURGLAR LOCK COMPANY, LQS ANGELYES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION 0' GALIFQR-NIA.

LOCK TUIMBLER.

Application filed Qcto'oer 10, 1922 Serial No. 593,534.

To f 10710772, it may concern.

.rse it known that l, Ennnr A. HILL, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of Qalitornia, have invented new and useful improvements in Look Tumblers, or? which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a rotary lock tumbler anc particularly pertains to a rotary tumbler which is especially adapted for use in combination or permutation lock of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,480,759 issued to me on January 15, 192%.

In the type of lock referred to the movement of a lock bolt is controlled by a series of rotary tumblers which are actuated by push buttons, and are adapted to be disposed .in certain positions to effect either engagement or release of the bolt. In the particular form of lock to which my invention applies the tumblers are designed to rotate in one direction only, that is, are not subject to retrogrademovement, being held against rotation in one direction, and are adapted to be advanced with a step by step movement in the other direction, without limitation of movement. The tumblers being encased and concealed in a housing, it is necessary to provide means for enabling the operator to dispose the tumblers in a starting position, after which the tumblers may be advanced the required number of impulses to dispose the several tumblers in proper relation to each other and to the bolt in working the combination to unlock the lock. It is the object of the present invention to provide a tumbler of the above character in conjunction with a simple and dependable means for indicating the startposition of the tumbler and also to provide a means whereby the tumbler may be set to have any one of a plurality of starting positions whereby thecombination of the lock may be readily changed.

lVith the foregoing objects in view together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, my invention resides in the parts and the con struction and arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompan'ying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a View in vertical section of a lock casing showing the tumble-r in side elevation and fitted with an indicator for determining its starting position, and showing the tumbler disposed in the starting position. i v V Figure 2 is a similar View showing the tumbler out of its starting position.

Figures 3, 4. and 5 are views illustrating the several parts of the tumbler as disassembled; Figures 3 and 5 being views i n elevation of the inside faces of two relatively adjustable side members which are adapted to be connected face to face, and

Figure t being a perspective view of a spring latch adapted to be interposed be tween the sidemember's.

Figure 6 is a View in elevation of the tumbler with the parts assembled, portions being broken away, with side members out of alignment as in effecting their rela tive adjustment. i t

Figure 7 is a view in enlarged vertical section as seen on the line 7'7 of Figure 6Q Figure 8 is a detail in perspective illus trating the operation of the indicator.

Figure 9 is a detail in section as seen on the line 99 of Figure 6.

More specifically 10 indicates a lock casing which may be of any suitable construction and is here shown as provided with a front wall 11, back of which is a chamber 12 to receive the lock mechanism, and 18 indicates a slide bolt which is mounted in the lock casing within the chamber'12 and may be operated by'appropriate mechanism, not necessary to be here shown. The bolt is cylinc rical and serves as a mounting for a series of tumblers 14: of any suitable num her which are designed to be rotated relative to the bolt and to each other. As the several tu'mbers and their operating means are complementary and as the present in vention pertains to the construction and. operation of the tumbler and not to the look as a whole, only the construction and operation of one tumbler need 'be' here set forth.

The tumbler embodies a pair of side members 15 and 16, particularly shown in Figures 3 and 5, each of which comprises a ring having ratchet teeth on its outer periphery. The ring 16 is formed witha hub 17, fon which the ring 15 is mounted; the rings 15 and 16 being adapted to be turned to various positions relative to each other.

r of the wall.

The adjacent faces of the rings 15 and 16 are formed with registering annular recesses 18 and 19, respectively; the bottom wall of the recess 18 on the'ring 15 being formed with ratchet teeth 20, which extend in the direction of and correspond in number to the ratchet teeth 21 formed on the periphery of said ring Arranged in the registering recesses and interposed between the rings'15 and 16, and encircling the hub 17, is a spiral spring 22 formed with a single convolution, one end of which is inturned to form a projection 23 which is engaged, in a notch 24 in the hub '17, by which the spring is held against turningrelative to the ring 16 The other end of the spring 22 is adapted to engage the ratchet teeth 18, whereby the rings 15 and 16 are held against rotation relative to each other in one direction yet may be freely turned in the opposite direction, The rings 15 and 16 may be held close together in any suitable manner, as by frictional engagement between the ring 15 and the hub 17, but are securely held against separation when the tumbler is positioned between adjacent tumblers or other abutments in assembling the lock according to the particular lock construction desired and which is not necessary to be here shown.

The teeth 21 on the ring 15 and the teeth 25 on the ring 16 correspond in number and are designed to be positioned to register with each other as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 8. Theratchet teeth 21 on the ring 15 however, are shallower than the teeth 25 on ring 16, excepting that the space 26 between two of the teeth 27 and 28 of the ratchet teeth 21 is formed of a depth substantially corresponding to the depth of the spaces between. the teeth 25 on the ring 16. By this construction, when the rings are as sembled to form the tumbler, with the ends of the ratchet teeth of the two rings aligned: there will be a recess between some two of adjacent teeth 01 greater depth than the recesses between the remaining ratchet teeth as particularly shown at 29 in Figure 2.

The tumbler is arranged in the lock casing to turn on a plane at right angles to the wall 11, and is arranged with its toothed periphery extending close to the inside face Mounted in a recess 30 on the inside of the wall 11 is a plunger 31 adapted to engage the teeth of the tumbler to confine movement of the latterin one direction; which tumbler is formed with a stem 32 projecting through the wall 11, to form an indicator as will presently be described. A spring 33 arranged in the recess 30 bears against the plunger 31 to yieldably maintain" the plunger in engagement with the ratchet teeth on the tumbler. The plunger 31 seats on the wall 34 extending between the adjacent ratchet teeth 21 on the ring 15, which wall limits the movement of the plunger under action of the spring 33. It will be seen that when the tumbler is positioned to dispose the recess 29,.between the teeth 2'? and 28 opposite the plunger 31. as shown in Figure l, the plunger will'move inwardly under action of the spring 33 a greater distance than when engaged by the walls 34 between the remaining ratchet the wall 117 It will now be seen that the pin 7 32 will serve to positively indicate by a movement, when the recess 29 is opposite.

the plunger 31 and that this position may be ascertained either by observation or by feeling. It will be understood that when the tumbler is disposed so that the plunger 31 will ride into the recess 29 the tumbler will then be in a starting position, The tumbler is formed in its inner periphery with a transi 'erse channel 35, which channel is cut in the hub 17 and extends longitudinally of the bolt 13'and provides a passage by which a projection 36 on the bolt may pass to perinit longitudinal movement of the bolt relar tive to the tumbler. In operating the tumbler it is contemplated to turn the tumbler step by step from the exterior of the lock 7 casing to position the channel 35 in alignment with. the projection 36 on the bolt. As the tumbler is free to rotate in one direction without restriction, the utility of the in dicator becomes apparent, it being seen that in order to determine when the channel 35 and the projection 36 are aligned the'tumbler must first bedisposed in starting position, after which it may be advanced if necessary. step by step, such portion of a revolution as to bring the channel and pro jection in alignment, according to the relative position of the channel 35 to the recess 29'. For example, assume that thetumbler is .in a starting position with the plunger 31 in recess 29 and that the channel 36 is located diametrically oppositethe recess and that the projection 36 is positioned to one side of'tlie channel such distance that movement of the tumbler a peripheraldistance equal to the length of one ratchet tooth would align the channel and projection, which is predetermined and known by the operator, it then follows that the operator can impartto this tumbler the necessary impulse or step by step to efi'ect the desired alignment of the channel and pro jection. The combination effected by this arrangement would then be one, meaning that movement of the tumbler one step. from the starting position would dispose it in the bolt unlocking position which position is insured by action of the plunger in press,- ing on the tumbler to brake its movement and also prevent retrograde movement of the tumbler.

The provision of the relatively movable toothed rings affords a means of changing the combination by varying the relative positions or" the channel. 35 and recess 29, as by turning the rings 15 and 16 relative to each other the recess 29 may be-located bet een any two of the ratchet teeth on the ring 16 in which the channel 35 is formed; th dogs 15 and 16 being held in their adjusted position means of the spring 2-2. In this manner the combination may be changed to require any desired number of stepped movements of the tumbler according to the number of the ratchet teeth thereon, or where desired, the channel may be positioned so that it will align with the projection 36 when the plunger is engaged with the recess 29.

vAny suitable means may be employed for imparting the step by step movement to the tumbler but is here shown as comprising a push button 37, extending through the wall 11, and having its inner end fitted with a pawl 38 adapted to engage the ratchet teeth of the tumbler upon depression of the push button; there being a spring 39 for normally disposing the pawl and the push button in an outermost position. The movement of the push button and pawl is such that on depression of the push button the tumbler will be advanced the length of one ratchet tooth which constitutes one step of the step by step movement of the tumbler.

The operation of the invention is apparent from the foregoing, it being seen that by actuating the push button 37 the tumbler may be rotated with a step by step movement until the indicator designates the starting position waereupon the operator, knowing the number of operations necessary to dispose the tumbler in its unlocking position may actuate the push button accordingly.

The indicator constitutes an important feature of this invention in that because of the tumblers having free and unlimited movement in one direction it is essential to first dispose the tumbler in a starting position, in order to thereafter dispose the tumbler in a predetermined bolt unlocking position.

I claim 1. In a look, a lock casing a rotary tumbler housed an d concealed in said casing, said tumbler mounted for free rotation in one direction, means for holding said tumbler against retrograde movement operable by said tumbler to movably indicate 6X- teriorally of the casing astarting position of saidtumbler, and means for imparting a step by step movement to said tumbler.

2. In a loclr. a lock casing a rotary tumbler concealed in said casing, said tn. 1- bler being mounted for tree and unlimited movement in one direction. ratchet teeth formed on the periphery of said tumbler; a plunger carried by said casing engageable with said ratchet teeth for holding the tumbler against retrograde movement, means associated with the plunger and operable by said tumbler acting on said plunger for indicating enteriorally of the casing a starting position for said tumbler and means for manually eii ecting a step by step move ment of said tumbler.

In a lock, a lock casing. a rotary tumbler enclosed in said casin said tumbler mounted fortree and unlimited rotary movement in one direction, ratchet teeth formed on the periphery of said tumbler, a spring pressed plunger carried by said casing engaging said ratchetteeth to hold the tumbler against retrograde movement a stem on said plunger projecting through said casing and means on said tumbler cooperating with said plunger for efiecting movement of said stem relative to said casing whereby said stem will serve to indicate a starting position of said tumbler and means acting on said ratchet teeth for effecting a step by step movement on said tumbler.

4. In a lock a lock casing, a rotary tumbler enclosed in said casing, said tumbler be ing mounted to have free and unlimited rotation in one direction, ratchet teeth on the periphery of said tumbler, a spring pressed plunger carried by said casing engageable with said ratchet teeth, said tumbler being formed. with a peripheral recess into which said plunger is adapted to extend, means carried by the plunger operable when said plunger is positioned in the recess for indicating exteriorally of the casing a starting position for said tumbler and means engageable with the ratchet teeth for imparting a step by step movement to said plungeri 5. In a look, a loclr casing a rotary tum bler enclosed in said casing said tumbler being mounted to have free and unlimited rotation in one direction. ratchet teeth on the periphery of said tumbler, a spring pressed plunger carried by said casing engageable with said ratchet teeth. said tumbler being formed with a peripheral recess into which said plunger is adapted to e tend. a pin operable when said plunger is positioned in the recess for indicating exteriorally of the casing a starting position for said tumblen means engageable with the ratchet teeth for imparting a step by step movement to said plunger, and means whereby the peripheral position of said recess on said tumbler may be varied.

6. In a lock, a rotary tumbler embodying a pair of relatively revoluble rings, ratchet teeth on the outer peripheries of said rings, one of the rings being formed with ratchet teeth shallower than the! ratchet teeth on the other ring and being'fo-rmed with a peripheral recess between a pair of its teeth, the other ring being formed with a transverse channel on its inner periphery, the ratchet teeth on the rings adapted to be aligned at their ends, with the recess on one ring located between the teeth on the other ring, and means for holding said rings against rotation relative to each other in one direction, permitting rotation of the rings in the other direction whereby the recess on one ring may be disposed at various peripheral positions relative to the channel on the other ring.

7. In a look, a rotary tumbler comprising a pair of rings interconnected face to face and adapted to be turned relative to each other, a bolt encircled by said rings, means cooperating between the bolt and one of said rings for controlling movement of said bolt, and indicating means operable by the other ring and means whereby said rings may be adjusted circumferentially relative to each other for'varying the operation of the indicating means relative to the bolt controlling means.

8. In a lock, a rotary tumbler comprising a pair of interconnected rings arranged face to face and rotatable on a commonaxis relative to each other, ratchet teeth on the face of one of said rings, a spring fastened to the other ring engaging said ratchet teeth for holding the rings against move ment relative to each other in one direction, permitting of varied peripheral adjustments of said rings relative to each other, and indicating means and means on one of said rings for actuating said indicating means adapted tobe adjusted to various positions relative to the other ring by rotating said rings with respect to each other.

ELERT A. HILL. 

